This year, OK2A has identifiedfour primary areas that need to be dealt with by our State Legislature, including nullification, schools, SDA prohibited places, and immunity issues.

Nullification:With gun control front and center in our national political debate, there are fivevery important nullification bills that need to be enacted this year:

HB2021 and SB161 are both “Firearms Freedom Act” bills which state that if the firearm or component is made in Oklahoma, sold in Oklahoma, and possessed in Oklahoma then the Federal government has no right to regulate it. This is an important first step. Other measures will need to be enacted down the road for this bill to truly impact our liberty because a manufacturer or dealer would need to be able to make a living selling only to Oklahomans. BATF regulations for FFL holders also require a dealer to do background checks and comply with other federal laws. That means that a dealer or manufacturer would have to sell only Oklahoma made products only to Oklahomans in order to not have to have an FFL. Again, this is an important first step, but there will be more work needed to truly enact this law.SB401 is a nullification bill aimed at the Federal Gun Free School Zones Act (see our GFSZA pagefor more information on the federal law). This bill would in essence confer a weapons license on anyone in a gun free zone.SB548 is a broader nullification bills directed at any and all federal firearms restrictions. Unlike many other nullification bills, this bill actually has teeth. It would impose a 5-year prison sentence on any federal law enforcement official who attempts to enforce unconstitutional firearms restrictions in Oklahoma.JHR1026 is an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would broaden and strengthen the gun rights of Oklahomans. Its language is also directed at dealing with past legal rulings that have hampered our gun rights for decades. Anyone familiar with our current gun rights clause in the state constitution knows that it contradicts itself. Article 2 section 26 of the state constitution says, “The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereunto legally summoned, shall never be prohibited; BUT (emphasis added) nothing herein contained shall prevent the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons.” HJR1026 would fix this by replacing the current laguage with the following: “The fundamental right of each individual citizen to keep and bear arms including, but not limited to, handguns, rifles, shotguns, knives and other common arms, ammunition and the components thereof, for security, defense, recreation, lawful hunting, in aid of the civil power when thereunto lawfully summoned, or for any other legitimate purpose shall not be infringed. Regulations of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny and shall not frustrate or impair the purpose of this right.”

School Carry:Our schools are merely hunting grounds for criminals today. This is one place where they are guaranteed to not be challenged. It is time we allow teachers, administrators, other school employees and anyone with a weapons permit to defend themselves – and the students.

HB1062 will provide for CLEET training for teachers who want to carry a firearm at school. Several other bills have been filed this year, but this is themost likely bill to move through the process. While we believe their will be problems with implementationfor this measure, it is far better than what we have now.HB1622 would allow private schools to set their own weapons policies. Currently the state tells the private school what it can and can‘t do concerning weapons on their private property. HB1622 would give these private schools (most are church schools which means congregants cannot carry while at church) theability to determine what is best on their own property. If they choose to not set a policy, then it reverts to state law.

SDA prohibited places:Just as with the schools, there are certain other places the Self-Defense Act prohibits the carrying of weapons. These need to be removed so honest, law-abiding citizens have the ability to defend themselves wherever they go.

HB2071 removes meetings with elected or other government officials from the list of prohibited places. The law does not define meetings, so it is left to interpretation which can be a dangerous thing for gun owners when an anti-gun police officer or district attorney wants to use the situation to make a political point.SB205 removes government buildings, professional sporting events, and other locations from the list of prohibited places. Again, citizens need to be able to defend themselves wherever they are. The best defense against a bad guy with a gun is several good guys with guns.

Immunity bills:HB2221 and SB173 both provide immunity for businesses that allow both open and concealed carry. It also includes colleges that allow permit holders to carry and employers who allow employees to carry, providing immunity from any liability arising from the decision to allow people to defend themselves. Additionally, HB2221 includes language to clarify that a person caught carrying into a private establishment marked for no carry is guilty of a trespass violation only.

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Active Bills

The following is a list of active bills. The bill number links to the State Legislature’s webpage for that bill. From that page, you can read the current version of the bill, check votes, and see amendments to the bill.